Over a decade of nausea, has become debilitating, help!
Posted , 5 users are following.
For (honestly probably much longer) at least a decade now I have suffered from horrible chronic nausea on a daily basis. I have had times in the past where it has flared up and gotten almost unbearable but this may be the worst period yet. This particular flare up has lasted for over two weeks now. My symptoms primarily are, obviously, unbearable debilitating nausea. I feel like crying because it is so horrible and like I need to lay down which really doesn't even help. But I feel so physically limited by the nausea that I cannot function well. I do not have any real dizziness but I do have some issues with fatigue, just feeling weak, drained, beat, etc. It is, and I cannot stress this enough, constant. From the moment I wake up to the moment I fall asleep, I feel on the verge of vomiting. I do not actually vomit often but sometimes it does happen. Some circumstances make it much worse such as driving, not sleeping as much as I need, if I take medicine, eating. I have found next to nothing that helps it. Chewing minty gum and eating salty food are the only things which seem to make an impact but it is a very minor and short lived improvement.
I have had 7 to 8 blood tests performed in the last 2 years because of this persistent nausea, all of which have come back completely normal with the exception of my alkaline phosphatase which is always just barely outside of the normal range on the low side.
I also have had a kidney ultrasound and a gallbladder ultrasound, also normal. Finally, I had an endoscopy performed that found some inflammation and a couple of polyps which were removed during the procedure. Everytime I have been referred to a GI doctor I have been put on proton pump inhibitors for months, sometimes years with absolutely no improvement. I believe I have likely tried every one in the book.
I have also regularly taken promethazine and zofran with very little effect. Over the counter antinausea medications do not help.
Long story short, I am just so sick of being sick. I am going to a new general practitioner tomorrow but I want to have some idea of what to be looking for.
Does anyone have any ideas or experiences that may help give me some direction?
0 likes, 7 replies
pippa58442 miranda26811
Posted
emily5513 miranda26811
Posted
Beazk miranda26811
Posted
Hi I have never experienced this and the other replies seem like they have answered better than I would know to, but I didn’t want to read and run as what you’re going through sounds awful. I am really quite shocked you have been left to suffer this long without being given help or at least a reason why. I would definitely be much firmer with wanting answers particularly as these things can have an impact on your mental health.
My only suggestion which is way off radar would be to see a homeopathic doctor. There is one local to us who has people from around the world that come especially and swear it has been the only answer to some things they have suffered with. My son suffers with autism and I have taken him to see her and seen significant improvement (not a cure, but it is entirely separate to a medical issue) and have really become a believer. The initial treatment cost for us was around £350 but the second treatment was £68 due to him needed a lot less drops. I know it’s not an answer but it is just something to try or think about when you feel totally lost and fed up.
I truly wish you the best.
miranda26811
Posted
I have never had a HIDA test performed, what is the process for that like? What does it diagnose?
I think I will ask for a gastric emptying test but I have been assured that it is so rare that it is probably not that (said here with a tone of frustration).
There are 2 groups in my area that deal with GI issues and they both have horrible reputations. One, the one my PCP has repeatedly referred me to, much more so than the other. They have awful reviews across the board and seem to have very little success ever diagnosing anything. The other has a slightly better reputation but is near impossible to even get into contact with much less to schedule with. They ever answer phone calls or return voicemails. I am hoping that if I can steer my doc in the right direction I can avoid all of that frustration.
pippa58442 miranda26811
Posted
A HIDA scan is most often done to evaluate your gallbladder. It's also used to look at the bile-excreting function of your liver and to track the flow of bile from your liver into your small intestine. A HIDA scan is often used with X-ray and ultrasound.
A HIDA scan might help in the diagnosis of several diseases and conditions, such as:
Gallbladder inflammation (cholecystitis)
Bile duct obstruction
Congenital abnormalities in the bile ducts, such as biliary atresia
Postoperative complications, such as bile leaks and fistulas
Assessment of liver transplant
Your doctor might use a HIDA scan as part of a test to measure the rate at which bile is released from your gallbladder (gallbladder ejection fraction).
A HIDA scan carries only a few risks. They include:
Allergic reaction to medications containing radioactive tracers used for the scan
Bruising at the injection site
Radiation exposure, which is small
Tell your doctor if there's a chance you could be pregnant or if you're breast-feeding. In most cases, nuclear medicine tests, such as the HIDA scan, aren't performed in pregnant women because of potential harm to the fetus.
How you prepare
Food and medications
Your doctor is likely to ask you:
To fast for four hours before your HIDA scan. You might be allowed to drink clear liquids.
About medications and supplements you take.
Clothing and personal items
You might be asked to:
Change into a hospital gown
Leave jewelry and other metal accessories at home or remove them before the procedure
What you can expect
During the procedure
Your health care team will position you on a table, usually on your back, and inject the radioactive tracer into a vein in your arm. You might feel pressure or a cold sensation while the radioactive tracer is injected.
During the test, you may get an intravenous injection of the drug sincalide (Kinevac), which makes your gallbladder contract and empty. Morphine, another drug sometimes given during a HIDA scan, makes the gallbladder easier to visualize.
A gamma camera is positioned over your abdomen to take pictures of the tracer as it moves through your body. This process takes about an hour, during which you'll need to remain still.
Tell your team if you become uncomfortable. You might be able to lessen the discomfort by taking deep breaths.
On a computer, the radiologist will watch the progress of the radioactive tracer through your body. In some cases, you might need additional imaging within 24 hours if original images aren't satisfactory.
After the procedure
In most cases, you can go about your day after your scan. The small amount of radioactive tracer will lose its reactivity or pass through your urine and stool over the next day or two. Drink plenty of water to help flush it out of your system.
Results
To make a diagnosis, your doctor will consider your signs and symptoms and other test results with the results of your HIDA scan.
Results of a HIDA scan include:
Normal. The radioactive tracer moved freely with the bile from your liver into your gallbladder and small intestine.
Slow movement of radioactive tracer. Slow movement of the tracer might indicate a blockage or obstruction, or a problem in liver function.
No radioactive tracer seen in the gallbladder. Inability to see the radioactive tracer in your gallbladder might indicate acute inflammation (acute cholecystitis).
Abnormally low gallbladder ejection fraction. The amount of tracer leaving your gallbladder is low after you've been given a drug to make it empty, which might indicate chronic inflammation (chronic cholecystitis).
Radioactive tracer detected in other areas. Radioactive tracer found outside of your biliary system might indicate a leak.
dr_uday_na88041 miranda26811
Posted
Hello,do a present endoscopy to know detailed status of your GI tract and check your stool to rule out any parasitic infection.Regarding medications you can take [clarithromycin and metronidazole] for 14 days.Add Vitamin B complex with nausea medication [domperidone-10mg].
Thanks
farah41194 miranda26811
Posted
So sorry to hear. I know how debilitating it is, as I too suffer with it but not nearly as often as you. Have you tested for H pylori? If you have inflammation in your stomach that is called gastritis and nausea & vomiting are major symptoms. Proton pump inhibitors are usually prescribed for this condition but some people have reported that diet and lifestyle changes worked better than the medication. Maybe you need to assess your diet. Google gastritis diet. Look up some tips on YouTube. Or sometimes it's a matter of experimenting with different PPIs until you find the right one. Perhaps you can ask for more tests. MRI, HIDA, stool test, stomach emptying test. My guess is that you're suffering from gastritis and if so don't worry, it's curable. I really hope you find a solution. Wishing you peace and healing.